Most parents think seriously about road safety the moment their teenager starts asking about getting their licence. But your influence starts much earlier than that and it matters more than most parents realise.
This section of the BRAKE website is built for parents. Each page covers a key moment in your child’s journey toward independent road use, with practical information, evidence-based guidance and honest advice about what you can do to help.
You do not need to be an expert. You just need to be informed and involved.
Five key stages parents should know
Each of the following covers a stage where your involvement makes a genuine difference to your childs safety on the road. Road crashes remain the leading cause of death for young Australians. Most are preventable. The work starts long before they get their licence and you are a central part of it.
Before they even start driving
Your child is already forming attitudes about the road by watching you. Long before they sit behind the wheel, the habits you model and the conversations you have are shaping how they will think about risk, responsibility and rules.
This page helps you understand that influence and use it well.
Understanding the teenage brain
Teenagers are not reckless by choice. Their brains are still developing in the areas that control impulse, risk assessment and decision-making. Understanding this helps parents have better conversations, set more effective boundaries and appreciate why structured education before driving matters so much.
When they get their learner licence
Getting a learner licence is the beginning of a long process, not a formality. This page covers what quality supervised practice looks like, how to choose a driving instructor, what your state's licensing system requires and how to make the most of the learner stage before your teen drives alone.
When they get their P's
The first six to twelve months of solo driving carry the highest crash risk of your child's entire driving life. Passing the test does not mean the job is done. This page covers how to stay involved, how to have the conversations that matter and how to be the back-up plan your teen actually uses.
E-scooters and e-bikes
E-scooters and e-bikes are now part of everyday life for many young Australians. They are also a growing source of serious injury. This page covers the risks, the rules across each Australian state and territory and what parents can do to help their child make safer choices before they ride
About the BRAKE Driver Awareness Program
Many of the conversations covered throughout this parent hub are also reinforced through the BRAKE Driver Awareness Program. Delivered in schools before young people begin driving independently, BRAKE helps students develop the attitudes, awareness and decision making skills that contribute to safer road use.
Over six to eight weeks, classroom teachers guide students through topics such as peer pressure, responsibility, emotional regulation, risk perception, distraction and confidence behind the wheel.
The program is designed to help students think critically about the choices they make and develop habits that support safer behaviour on the road.
Parents play an important role in reinforcing these messages at home. If you would like to learn more about the BRAKE program or find out whether your child’s school is participating, please get in touch.
BRAKE COO, John Duncan with students completing BRAKE at St Peters Lutheran College Springfield.